The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1887-09-29

position 10 some Of the States ed
ucational institutions has subject
ed It to much criticisms but il II
is founded. Is We believe, upon
the opinion that a State which
can only afford tour months tai.
tion in year 10 q large potion Of
its educable children, has no right
10 spend money on expensive col
leges, there is then much reason in
its position.
The A. and NJ. and Columbus
Colleges are doubtless admirable
institutions, but If their mainte-
nance has the effect Of shortening
the terms Of country schools they
are 70 that extent an imposition
on the public. Any experienced
educator knows that a child will
forget in eight months the greater
part Of what he has been taught in
four. The vacation is all together
too long for he young mind to re.
tain any definite idea Of his lessons
from term to term. Even a grown
person would fDd such a mental
effort almost impossible. What
student could master a profession
even in years, If he read four
months and then dropped it for
eighth In the case Of the schools
it would be better to skip one
year and then teach eight months
in the following year. A reason
ably bright child might learn to
read, write and even cipher little
ia eight months; he would at least
obtain some idea OF the value OF
education in that time. These and
similar reasons incline us to the
opinion that if the State, by con-
centrating all its means available
for educational purposes, can keep
its common schools open even as
short time as a month longer
than at present, such concentra-
ton is desirable. 1t is better to
have a hundred persons who can
read and write. and who can I'M
derstand the four rules Of arithme-
tic than five college graduates and
ninety-fve ignoramuses.
1t is also worth remembering
that common schools are within
reach Of all, while colleges are
quite otherwise. Many persons
who are reasonably well-to-do can
not afford to send their sons to
Starkville or their daughters to
Columbus, and as a necessary con-
sequence it follows that these in
situations are largely Patronized
by parents who could send their
children anywhere. Many vacan-
eies occur however, in spite Of this
method of filling them and the re-
suit is, unless we are greatly mis-
informed, these colleges largely
supply the deficiencies of common
schools in the fortunate communi-
ties IN which they are located. If
We are wrong in any of these con-
illusions or surmises We will gladly
accept correction.
The system upon which the
country schools of this State are
managed is q singular one in some
respects. The qualifications of
the teacher must be great in order
to secure a first class certificate,
and after be has obtained one and
= school as well, his salary is very
small and his term of employment
short. Many really bright man,
a college graduate if you please,
would have difficulty in obtaining
q first-class certificate, and after
he had gotten it be would have be-
fore him the brilliant prospect of
teaching school four months or so
in the year at little more than a
common laborer's stipend. After
spending years in acquiring knowl-
edge he finds it an Improbable in
vestment.
In regard to colored teachers
these rigid examinations are es-
pecially a moekery for it is a well
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